Laura Riley (1890 - 1976)

Refresh this page to see various historical events that occurred during Laura's lifetime.

In 1890, in the year that Laura Riley was born, on October 9th, in Satory, France, the first fixed-wing, steam powered aircraft flew. "Ader Éole" flew, uncontrolled, for about 160 ft. at a height of just under 8 inches off the ground.

In 1919, Laura was 29 years old when in Norfolk Virginia, the first rotary dial telephones were introduced by the American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T), making it easier to make a call without an operator.

In 1954, by the time she was 64 years old, on May 17th, the Supreme Court released a decision on Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka. The ruling stated that state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students was unconstitutional thus paving the way for integration in schools.

In 1964, by the time she was 74 years old, in June, three young civil rights workers - Andrew Goodman and Mickey Schwerner from New York City, and James Chaney from Meridian, Mississippi - were kidnapped and murdered in Mississippi. Working with "Freedom Summer", they were registering African-Americans to vote in the Southern states. Their bodies were found two months later. Although it was discovered that the White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, the Neshoba County Sheriff's Office and the Philadelphia, Mississippi Police Department were involved, only 7 men were convicted and served less than six years.

In 1976, in the year of Laura Riley's passing, The United States celebrated the Bicentennial of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. It was a year long celebration, with the biggest events taking place on July 4th.